Jugaad Innovation:

A Frugal, Flexible, and Inclusive Way to Grow

Jaideep Prabhu

UNCSTD, Geneva
January 23, 2017
Unique Features of Indian Innovators

Frugal

Flexible

Inclusive
 Source: http://gizmodo.com

Thinking Outside the (Ice) Box

Source: http://www.mitticool.in/
Thinking Outside the (Hot) Box
 Jugaad Innovation

The art of overcoming harsh constraints by improvising an

effective solution using limited resources

Gambiarra or jeitinho in Brazil

Kanju in Africa

Jiejian Chuangxin in China

DIY in the US

Systeme D in France
Why Does India Need Jugaad?

Upwards of 40% of Indians:

Are unbanked

Are off the electricity grid

Have limited access to healthcare and education

 Changing Class Structure
2005 2020

Upper-Middle
$10,000+ PPP(1)

Middle
$5,000-10,000 PPP

Emerging
$2,500-5,000 PPP

Poor
Under $2,500 PPP
Why Does the World Need Jugaad?
Why Does the World Need Jugaad?
Why Does the West Need Jugaad?

Thomas Piketty, Paris School of Economics

The West must learn to do « better with less »!

Social Entrepreneurs
Mansukh Bhai and the MittiCool Fridge
Dr Mohan’s Mobile Diabetes Clinic

Source: http://www.drvmohan.com/ Source: http://www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org/composite-2731.htm

Harish Hande and SELCO
Devi Shetty: Frugal Surgeon
Large Domestic Organisations
Tata and the Nano

Source:http://www.examiner.com/road-driver-in-national/world-s-cheapest-car-the-tata-nano
Tata “Swach” Water Filter
Aakash Tablet
BRAC
World’s largest NGO: employs 100,000 people, reaches
126 million people in over 11 countries

Diversified: health, education, finance and social enterprise

Covers 80% of its costs through own revenues

Best practices from business; constantly learning

Bangladesh and Social Businesses

The home of social businesses

Grameen, BRAC and Asa: three of the world’s

largest microfinance organisations

Generate surpluses but plough these back into

scaling their social mission
Multinationals & Inclusive
Innovation
GE and Affordable Innovation
ECG machine designed specifically for
India’s rural markets

Portable, light, battery operated, reliable,

cheap

Launched in China, and now in the US after

having got FDA approval
Siemens: Foetal Heart Monitor
The Nokia 1100
Specifically for emerging markets:

Dustproof keypad and front face

Built-in flashlight

Over 200 million sold since late 2003

World's best selling handset and consumer electronics device

M-Pesa and Mobile Payments
Selling Solar Lighting Solutions

Photo: M-KOPA
Inclusive Innovation in the West
Ebon Upton and the Raspberry Pi

“Design intended to inspire

schoolchildren and adults to
program”

Demand for Raspberry Pi, the British

$35 computer, “crashes website”

Source: The Guardian

Prabhu Subramanian and CoLearnr
3D Printing: Increasingly Affordable
Photos: EMBRACE
 Challenges of Inclusive Innovation
Small organisations are inherently frugal and agile but
lack resources to scale

Large organisations have the resources to scale but

are wasteful and slow
Solutions for Inclusive Innovation
Partnerships between small and large, local and global
are needed

Governments and public institutions like UNCTAD and

UNCSTD can be cheerleaders and match-makers
 Conclusion
Frugal, flexible, and inclusive innovation can help the
world achieve the SGDs

The West can gain by engaging with counterparts in

the developing world

Large and small, North and South, can work together

improve lives everywhere
Thank You!